A national bus driver shortage is upending Texas’ beloved Friday night high school football games

Some high school football games look a little different in rural Texas as schools struggle to send cheerleaders and marching bands with their teams to away games. Schools across Texas are struggling to find bus drivers to fill their routes. (Credit: Tom Pennington)

NACOGDOCHES — East Texas towns come to life on fall Friday nights when fans decked out in school colors fill stadiums to cheer on their high school football team. Marching bands, cheerleaders and drill teams ignite competitive spirits when decades-old rivalries kick off.

So when a shortage of bus drivers prevented Nacogdoches High School from transporting those student groups to an away football game in Titus County this month, the town was disheartened.